Conjugate Ecological Planning is a practical approach of sustainable urban planning to solve complex issues threatening Beijing, which could be also taken for a creative way to accommodated kinds of new urban driving forces including Creative Economy

Abstract

As an emerging megacity in developing China, Beijing, suffering from ecological degradations and pressures derived from intensive economic growth, has begun to re-think his traditional urban planning towards a more sustainable one. The Conjugate Ecological Planning (CEP) was promoted as a practical tool of Social Economic Natural Complex Ecosystem (SENCE) theory during the latest urban planning revision of Beijing. The philosophy of CEP was to use synergy and balance power. Following up the ancient Chinese cognition of the relationship between the human and the earth, and adopting modern ecology knowledge, the main strategy of CEP attempted to harmonize contradictory elements in current urban planning context. They are urban system planning vs. hinterland planning, conservation areas vs. ecosystem service construction, population vs. socio-ecosystem and ˇ°arteriesˇ± of traffics and logistics vs. ˇ°veinsˇ± of wastes, etc. In this way, we constantly sought after a proper planning paradigm for Beijing.All of the efforts this paper describes were designed to plan and build a long-term fitting environment for living and working better. However, the element of ˇ°human beingˇ± was located at the very central part of SENCE framework. Based on the recognition of the institutional impacts, Creative Economy should be advocated and accommodated better in creative ways with CEP, for their evident positive effects to a smart and sustainable urban development.After all, as an example of CEP, some planned spatial configurations in Beijing urban fringe areas will be discussed in detail, to show opportunities of figuring out urban issues and enhancing urban ecosystem services.

Keywords

Conjugate Ecological Planning, urban ecosystem service, Beijing

Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2005: Making Spaces for the Creative Economy